My Knight in Shining Armor
by Dragon Panda
Summary: Revised: Shikamaru goes out to look for Temari when she doesn't turn up at the gates. Will his worry be for nothing? Or is there really something wrong? ShikaTema, TemaShika. Please R&R and tell me what you think!


**Yesh, I am on my Nejiten high at the moment BUT I started this fic before I switched and I wanted to get this up before I started on something else, SO you gets another ShikaTema from teh Drgaon Panda-sama!**

**Deidara: sama? Are you serious, yeah?**

**Panda: -anime tick- Shut up girly man!**

**Deidara: I am NOT girly, un! I'll have you know that I'm extremely masculine, yeah!**

**Panda: -sweatdrop- riiiiiiiiiiiight………… so anyway, This is just a totally random one-shot that I came up with while listening to one of my fav songs, 'Papercut' by Linken Park. How does it relate to the song? I honestly have no idea what so ever……ANYWAY I'm pretty sure that I'm going to write a companion fic for my story 'Star Gazing'. I've got some REALLY good ideas for Shikamaru and Temari –evil cackle- **

**Deidara: -sweatdrop-………….you know what? I don't even wanna know, yeah………**

**Panda: GOOD! Because I ain't tellin' ya. Now if you would be so kind Dei-kun.**

**Deidara: -irritated sigh and anime tick- Panda does…..**

**Panda: Ahem. –taps foot-**

**Deidara: FINE!! Panda-**_**sama **_**does not own the anime/manga Naruto nor any of its characters, un. Happy now?**

**Panda: Yes, very. Anyway, I would also LOVE to give a shout out to all of those who reviewed 'Star Gazing' and one in particular, Shadow Owner! You rock Shadow-senpai and your stories are amazing, I hope I don't disappoint you with this one!**

**Now ON WITH TEH STORY!!**

**Edit: Yesh, I haveith changed the story a bit. When I first wrote it I couldn't help but feel there was something just no right about it, buuuut I was like half asleep at that point and egger to get it up so I ignored that little nagging. HOWEVER! The next morning when I checked for reviews, I found one from Shadow-senpai(thankys XD) that pointed out the things that I should have payed more attention to before and once I read it again, now fully awake, I started banging my head on the wall for making the story seem so unrealistic. I felt immensely embarrassed for publishing this before reading it over when I was awake and sane, but I hope that the edit makes up for it and makes more sense now! **

**X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X. X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X.X**

A relaxed and contented sigh escaped the lips of a young man as he sat in his favorite spot in the whole village of Konoha, watching the clouds. He had just returned from a rather tiring mission the previous night and was glad that he had some time to himself today, even if it was just a couple hours. Today was the day that a certain someone was to arrive in the village and he, as always was the case, had been instructed to escort her. It was 'troublesome', as he would say, but for some reason he enjoyed whenever she came around. Sure she was loud, outspoken, and angered easily but she was different from the other girls. She didn't really talk all too much when it was just the two of them, unlike his female teammate whom drove him to the point of insanity with her constant blabbering, but she wasn't shy or timid nor afraid to speak her mind like the sweet Hyuuga heiress. She didn't like to go shopping either unless they were looking at weaponry or something that was an absolute necessity, like food. How others thought of her didn't seem to bother her in the slightest, if someone didn't like her she just gave them the finger and went on with life. Yes, she was quite different from the other girls he knew…..

"SHIKAMARU!!" the boy jerked and sat up at the high pitched screeching that sounded strangely like his name. Taking a deep breath and composing himself, he turned to glare lazily at the source of the noise.

"What do you want Ino?" he asked broadly, scowling at the blonde before him.

"Hokage-sama wants you, something about Temari." Ino stated, spitting out the last word as if she had bitten into something fowl at that point. No, she did NOT like Temari AT ALL.

"Che, throublesome….." Shikamaru stated, yawning and stretching a bit before looking up at the sun. Eh, he must have dozed off for a bit and Temari had arrived to find him not waiting for her, then gone to the Hokage. Great, just what he needed. It would be bad enough that Temari was pissed at him for being lazy and not showing, but she just HAD to drag Tsunade into it too and get her all worked up didn't she? She was such an annoying woman….

After a few moments he yawned yet again and stood, shoving his hands in his pockets after giving Ino a laze wave and began to walk off towards the Hokage tower, though he was in no real hurry to get there. Who hurry to their ultimate doom?

* * *

Shikamaru arrived at the tower about half an hour later, having taken his sweet time in doing so but guessing that taking any more time would cause them to come looking for him themselves and he would rather NOT be beat to a pulp in public by a woman…..or two….

"Enter." came the calm voice of the Hokage, to Shikamarus utter surprise and slight relief. Ok, so she wasn't pissed…..or was it just an act to make him lower his guard? He couldn't be too carful…

He carefully pushed the door open and slipped inside, ready for an attack of some kind, whether it be verbal of physical. However, he was merely greeted with the site of a calm and normal looking Tsunade who was looking over a scroll at her desk. He blinked a bit and entered the room further.

"You called for me Hokage-sama?" he stated in his usual tone, one filled with boredom and sleepiness.

"Yes, I'm wondering if Temari has arrived safely." Tsunade said, setting down her scroll in favor of looking up at the shinobi before her whos response was a blink and a slightly shocked expression.

"You mean shes not here?" Shikamaru asked, surprise evident in his tone this time instead of boredom and sleepiness. Temari hadn't arrived yet? She should have gotten here three hours ago if he had calculated correctly….

"No, you were supposed to pick her up at the gate three hours ago. But judging by your reaction and the gate reports that I read she didn't even enter the front gate." Tsunade said, quirking an eyebrow as she watched the boy carefully for his response. When he said nothing she continued. "I have also just read a report that a rather nasty group of missing nins have been sited on the path from Suna to Konoha so I had called you in to ask if you had possibly met her at another gate or she had come in a different way and gone to find you. Obviously that is not the case so I am going to have to send a note to the Kazekage and someone out to scout the area and see what the situat-"

"I'll go." Shikamaru said somewhat quickly, his tone suggesting worry. This surprised himself as much as Tsunade. He blinked slightly, where had that come from? Was he seriously that worried for Temari? Apparently so, he had just offered to go look for her, he NEVER offered to go on a mission…..EVER.

"Very well, dismissed." Tsunade said after she blinked at him for a few moments. She waved her hand at him a bit after he did not respond and he shook his head before nodding and taking off. As soon as she was sure Shikamaru was gone, Tsunade smirked and shook her head slightly as she reached into her desk drawer for a pen, blank scroll, and her hidden bottle of Sake. That boy had it bad……

Shikamaru left the Konoha gates not five minutes later, surprising even him at his quickness and hast. It wasn't like him to be in a hurry anywhere. However, this was a critical situation. Temari could be hurt, or worse…..

No, he would not permit himself to think that she could be dead. That was just impossible; she was FAR too stubborn to die. However, that thought did little to quill his growing worry. _God Temari, don't die. Not yet…._

* * *

Shikamaru had been traveling at a decent pace for some time now, although for how long he could not say for he had lost all track of time, his main and only focus was finding the Suna nin. However, he was continuously growing frustrated; he had found no sign of Temari nor the missing nin. Of course, this did nothing to help his worry either, which had nearly turned into panic by now.

Growling slightly in irritation, mostly at himself, he paused and leapt down from the trees. Leaning on the closest one, Shikamaru closed his eyes and began taking deep and slow breaths in an attempt to clam himself. Panicking would leave him venerable to an ambush and it certainly wouldn't help find Temari. However, he was soon pulled out of his meditation by the sound of a deep, husky, and rather rugged and maniacal sounding laugh. A shiver ran down his spine and the hairs on the back of his neck stood from the shear blood thirsty and cold edge to that laugh. His eyes shot open and a hand went to his kunai pouch unconsciously as he slowly moved forward toward the noise which was really not all that fare off, suppressing his chakra and laying low.

Soon Shikamaru could hear other voices as well and was able to determine that he was coming across a group of about five men, all rough and hardy if their voices were anything to go by. He parted the leaves of the bush he was using to conceal himself just enough to peek out of. He was greeted with the site of five well weathered men who were chuckling and looking over some things that he had guessed had come from a tan colored backpack that was now tossed to the side.

_So these are the missing nin? Wonder what poor soul it was they raided….._ he thought, however he swore that his heart stopped for a few seconds when he got his answer.

"I believe this will fetch a hefty price on the black market, wouldn't you agree?" said one of the men, as he held up something Shikamaru really didn't want to see at the moment. It was a giant iron fan and, when the man opened it, there were three large purple moons on it. The man was holding Temaris fan.

Shikamarus breathing hitched and he stared, wide eyed and he body tense as he recalled something that Temari had told him about her fan….

_Flashback……_

"_Oww…..troublesome woman…." muttered Shikamaru as he rubbed his head, looking up and sending a lazy, half-hearted glare at the fuming blonde next to him who was now replacing a closed iron fan on her back. He had been walking Temari back to her hotel when he had made some sexist comment during their conversation, as he did on occasion, and was promptly whacked in the head by Temaris fan._

"_Don't you ever go anywhere without that thing?" he asked pointing to the fan on her back and glaring at it lazily._

"_Pfft, no. Without it I can't use any of my jutsu, it'd be like asking you to fight in the middle of a flat and clear field at midday." Temari retorted as she crossed her arms and kept her eyes fixed on the road._

"_So, your totally helpless without your fan then?" Shikamaru said with a smirk, a slight teasing edge to his voice._

"_No!!" Temari said angrily, huffing and turning her head to the side._

"_Heh, I'll take that as a yes then." Shikamaru stated, his smirk growing wider. This earned him a flick to the head and he rolled his eyes, still smirking slightly as she shoved his hands in his pockets and continued to follow her. He was proud that he had found her weakness, though he would never use it agents her of course; just tease her about it….._

_End Flashback…._

His eyes darted about, franticly searching for any sign on the woman. That man had Temaris fan, that meant that she HAD to be nearby. She wouldn't likely give up something so important to her without a fierce fight, it was just the way she was. Perhaps they took her as a prisoner? No, they don't look like that type. Shikamarus stomach lurched at the thought of Temari being dead, no he couldn't stomach that thought. Just keep thinking positive. Yes, positive thoughts, positive thoughts, positive- Oh god………………….

This time he knew his heart stopped. Lying on the ground off to the side was the unmistakable figure of Temari. Her black kimono was torn and tattered, splashed with blood. Her headband hung loosely from around her head, just barley clinging on, and the four pony tails that were her trademark were disheveled and loose as well, causing strands to fall out and cling to her pale face. A line of crimson extended from the corner of her mouth to her chin and there were numerous scratched on her arms and legs. Her eyes were closed and her lips parted slightly, her right arm lying by her head so that her palm faced up while the left hand rested on her stomach. Her head had fallen to the side, facing the men.

This was impossible, she was dead, and he was too late. That couldn't be, that just couldn't be. Those bastards killed her and were now rummaging through her stuff and….and _touching_ her fan. Those bastards!!

Before he even had time to think, Shikamaru had lunged at them men in blind furry, kunai in hand. For the first time in his life, he didn't stop to think of a plan. For the first time, he was too upset to care about the consequences of his actions. He was going to kill the men who had killed someone dear to him, someone _precious_ to him. He would make them pay.

* * *

Shikamaru let out a cry as he was tossed to the ground, beaten and torn and breathing heavily. Three of the men stood around him, chuckling coldly. The other two lay on the ground, motionless. Wether dead or unconscious he didn't know, nor did he care at the moment. Although the last three had not escaped unscathed and actually looked rather warn, probably from the fact that they had fought off Temari as well not long before, they were still standing and had obviously won this round.

"Ahh, so you came to rescue your girlfriend eh? Well you did a pretty lousy job of it." one of the men sneered as he unsheathed his katana and stepped forward, raising the blade to strike. "Don't worry though, I'll put you out of your misery."

Shikamaru closed his eyes and prepared for the impact. Yes, he would die here, as a proud shinobi of the leaf and go on to be with Temari in the next world. He would welcome death openly…..

The sound of metal on flesh entered his head and then gasps from the men. It was then he realized that there was no pain, had he not been struck? Either that or he had been killed so swiftly that he didn't feel a thing. But if he was dead, then why could he still hear the men?

He snapped his eyes open and they widened considerably, for the tip of the katana blade was only centimeters from his nose; crimson streams cascading down silver and small drops fell from the pointed end every few seconds. His orbs traveled up the blade to the back out of which it protruded, causing his eyes to widen even more if that was possible.

"You stupid…..lazyass….crybaby…." coughed out the blonde standing before him, blonde spilling from her mouth as teal eyes glanced back at him.

"Temari……" his voice was barely above a whisper. Not only was she alive, but she had jumping in front of a blade for him; even in her current state she had risked it all to save him. She had saved him…_again_

"I can…..chew you out…..later for….being a baka…….because….these bastards….not only took my fan….but they almost killed you…..and that….is more unforgivable then...taking my fan a…..hundred times over."

In a swift movement, Temari wrenched the blade from her stomach and drove in through the chest of the man whom had stabbed her. Letting go of the hilt she stumbled and began to fall to the side, but Shikamaru reached out and caught her at the last minute; pulling her close to him.

The man who had fallen victim to Temaris anger held a look of shock on his face as he stumbled backward, pulling the blade from himself. With a last muttered curse at Temari, he fell face first into the dirt; dead. The other two men stared at their fallen comrade in disbelief before glaring at Temari and Shikamaru.

"You will pay for-….what the hell?!" one of them began as they both made to serge forward, but both of there bodies were frozen in the spot; neither of them could move an inch.

"Heh. Kage Mane**(1)**, successful." Shikamaru spoke, smirking slightly. He still held Temari in his arms tightly and they were wrapped around her in a way so that his hands were in front; hand forming the rat seal. "Now, let's see how you bastards deal with this. Kage Kubi Shibari no Jutsu**(2)**!"

The shadows slowly began to creep up the men's' bodies and thy began to cry out, for one last time…..

* * *

Shikamaru loosened his hold on Temari as the last men fell, placed her head on his lap and removing her headband and the bands the restrained her hair to make her more comfortable. He moved her arm from around her middle so that he could see the wound better and bit his lip, this wasn't looking good.

Thinking fast he tossed off his tattered vest and pulled his shirt over his head, wrapping it around her stomach and back and tying it tight. He then took his discarded vest and placed it over her front before shifting his eyes back to her face. Her eyes were closed and her lips were parted to allow as much air as possible into her body. Her face was pale and stained with blood, Shikamaru did his best to wipe the crimson away and pull her hair away but he knew there was little more he could do now.

"Shikamaru……" his eyes flicked to her lips were the soft sound had come from and then to her eyes which flicked open slightly and gazed at him. "…..you're not as….scrawny as….everyone…says…" she breathed out quietly and he blinked, looking down at himself to realize that all he had on now was a mesh shirt that did, in fact, show off the muscles in his chest and stomach that he had accumulated over the years.

"As flattered as I am Temari, you shouldn't be talking. Save you strength." he said softly, eyes traveling back to her face as he brushed a stray piece of golden hair from her half-lidded teal orbs. To his surprise a thin, pained smirk curled on her lips.

"I have…lost a lot of blood…..chances are….I will die here…..and I will have….died a….proud shinobi….protecting someone…..whom is precious to me……someone who…..I love….." Temari said quietly through her labored breathing. Her vision was becoming fuzzy now and each breath more difficult. If she were to die here, she couldn't die without him knowing the truth. Why she teased him, messed with him, take any mission that sent her to Konoha. Somewhere along the line she had fallen for the lazy Chuunin but had known that they could never have a relationship, there was just too much involved. So she kept quiet, but now……now she couldn't die without him knowing. She couldn't go to the next world with the regret of not telling him lingering within her. So she told him now, not caring if he returned the feelings, not fearing rejection. After all, if she was to die then why should she worry about him rejecting her?

Shikamaru stared at her, stunned. Did she just say that she loved him? Oh god, she must be delusional from all this blood loss! Not that he didn't feel for her back, he knew he felt something towards her. After all, why else would he have rushed out of his village when there was the chance that she was in danger? But this was Temari! She teased him, hit him with her fan, and sneered at him. She couldn't possibly love him…..could she?

"Temari your delusional, it's all this blood loss that's-"

"I'm not delusional dammit!" Temari cut him off, sputtering and coughing after she did so. When her coughing had subsided fit, she took a deep breath and continued. "I care…..for you…..whether you….believe it or not…..I do….I had to….tell you before……I dyed…."

"No! You're not going to die here!" Shikamaru protested desperately. He couldn't let her die now, he couldn't bear the thought. He could feel the pricking at the back of his eyes now and he bit the inside of his cheek to keep it from becoming more. Temari was just smiling softly at him now, A smile that was only meant for him and one only he would ever see as her eyes closed.

"I'm sorry…..Shika…..maru…." were the last words she said before her vision turned to black. However, before all went away; she felt a drop on her cheek and knew that he was crying for her…..

* * *

A groan escaped her lips as she clenched the lids of her eyes shut tighter before opening them and wincing slightly. It was so….white. It hurt so much that she had to shut her eyes once again and then open them, slowly blinking in the brightness. Was this….the other side? Had she really died? She made to sit up, but then hissed in pain as she felt a stab in her gut. Ok, so if she was dead then why did she still feel pain?

"You're awake Temari-san! How do you feel?" Temari blinked a bit and turned her head to see none other than a certain pink haired medic dressed in a nurses uniform.

"Sakura……..?" she asked, but her voice was cracked, dry, and quiet. The other girl didn't seem fazed or surprised by that in the slightest and merely nodded.

"Hai. Shikamaru brought you back to Konoha about a week ago, you've been out cold since then. Honestly we were beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up but here you are." Sakura said, her voice cheery and upbeat as she smiled at Temari.

The Suna girl blinked yet again and took a good look around her to find that she was in a hospital room and laying on a hospital bed, hooked up to all those various machines and such. So she _was_ alive? And Shikamaru….?

"Shikamaru? Is he…ok?" Temari asked, again shifting her attention to the pink-haired girl.

"Shikamaru is just fine, he was released from the hospital about four days ago and has come to visit you at least twice each day. In fact, he should be here any minute-.."

"Sakura, how is-….Temari. Your awake." Shikamaru said was he walked into the room, cutting Sakura off and looking at Temari with an expression of surprise and happiness. Something danced in his eyes that Temari had never seen before, something like pure joy. Sakura smiled softly and slowly backed out of the room, leaving the two alone.

"I'm glad you're awake, you were starting to get me worried there." Shikamaru said as he sat in a chair by her bed. She didn't answer, instead she just looked away; down towards the foot of the bed. What was she supposed to say? They lapsed into a silence for several minutes before Temari finally found her tongue.

"Hmm, I believe that I saved your lazy ass Nara. That means you owe me one." she stated in her usual cocky and proud tone, though her voice was somewhat still cracked and quiet, teal eyes dancing with laughter and amusement as she shifted her gaze to him once more. His response was to stare at her for a moment before relaxing and smirking. She was DEFINITLY alright…

"Eh I wouldn't be so sure about that. After all, not only did I drag you back to Konoha BUT I brought you fan too. AND I had to deal with Kankuro and Gaara. I believe that _you _owe _me_." he retorted, crossing his arms. His smirk grew wider as he heard her huff irritatedly at him, knowing that was her way of admitting defeat.

"Fine, I'll do whatever you want. But I can't really treat you to lunch while I'm in the hospital so it will have to wait." Temari snorted out, not very happy about having to we him something. At least, not at the moment.

"Don't worry, what I want as payment I can take here and now." Shikamaru stated and she blinked a bit and turned her head to ask him what the hell he was talking about……….to have her lips connect softly with his. Her eyes widened a fraction and her mind and body went numb with shock, but once she registered what was happening she began to return the favor……only to have him pull away, a rather smug smirk playing on his lips. The stunned look on her face was priceless.

"That was a dirty trick Nara." She said, scowling at him.

"But you liked it."

"Yes I did, but you didn't give me a chance to respond."

"Oh? So you want me to kiss you again then?"

"I'm not going to beg for it, so don't even go there."

"Che, troublesome woman…" his lips then descended upon hers in another soft and gentle kiss. For right now nothing else mattered, the complexities of the relationship between a Konoha and Suna nin could wait unil later. Right now they were a boy and a girl who loved each other enough that they would gladly welcome death to save the other, as they had clearly showed. They had risked there life's to save each other more than once, and they would gladly do it again. So who was whose knight in shining armor? Well I will leave that to you to decide….

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**FINALLY! I'm done! Man this thing is a monster, like 7 pages in Word if you don't count meh noteys. Anyways, you thought I was going to kill Temari didn't you? Hehe, I'm evil! Muhahahahaha! But I don't have the heart to kill either of them……Ino and Sakura are a different story……Sasuke too…..OK So I don't like them! I admit it! I think Sasukes gay, Inos a slut, and I HATE the color pink T.T. **

**Alright! Now that that's out of my system, leave a review and tell meh what you think of my story. I don't really think it's all that great…..but I'll just leave that for you to decide, k? **

**Edit: Hope ya like the changes I made to it, tell meh what ya think!**

**Oh! And...**

**(1): Shadow imitation, I'm sure you ptobubly already know that though...**

**(2): Its the shadow neck bind thingy**

**NOW PRESS THE SHINY PURPLE BUTTON OR I SHALL SEND TOBI TO YOUR HOUSE!!**

**Tobi: Tobi is a good boy who wants you to review Pandy-neechans story or he will come to your house and make you eat peas!!**

**Panda:-shivers- Oh god I hate peas……**


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